


Like Crystal Flowers

by Sonamae



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Awkwardness, Fluff, M/M, Science, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 12:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5928772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sonamae/pseuds/Sonamae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rodimus has to deal with so much.  Amusement Parks, Awkward Tea Parties, Space Bovine, Captain Enamored, and more!  At least his boyfriend is there to take some of the weight off his shoulders.  Now if he could only get Drift to stop teasing him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Crystal Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> ... Like Crystal Flowers, We Are Reborn. Anon gift for someone.

The Lost Light was _supposed_ to be in a strolling orbit through what Swerve had boasted to them as ‘The biggest tourist trap known to this side of the galaxy.’ All the viewports on the Lost Light had been pried open to view the beautiful swirl of pastel cosmos and flickering medusas, but none of that seemed to matter to the mecha inside the ship.

No one was enjoying this much needed vacation so far.

In fact, almost everyone was on edge, most of them staring out of the main window at the… _lack_ of movement all around. Some mecha were clutching one another at the sight of the empty, _open_ greeting gates, and others were muttering in hushed tons to one another as they plotted theories or began ghost stories.

There were no ships beyond the entrance, no life signs or signals coming from any of the six planets that were home to the galaxy’s attractions. Rodimus didn’t even comment when Inferno informed him that the ship had halted and no amount of coaxing was getting it to move. He’d waved the mecha off and when pressured, differing all orders to go through Megatron.

The fact that this had struck even _him_ silent was a little jarring.

After several moments, Drift was the one to finally break the silence as he walked to the window and pressed a hand to the glass.

“Do you see that?” He asked, pointing off to the left. Several mecha crowded around him. “The entire planet of Conludium is empty.” Drift said, face relaxed but meaningful.

“Drift, _all_ of the planets are empty.” Rodimus muttered.

“Oh come on, that means there’s no lines on the Internal Toss. Let’s get down there before anyone gets back and gets in line. I know how much you love that ride.” Drift waited, face expectant.

And then someone in the crowd laughed and Megatron shook his head, optics rolling as he straightened his back strut. The tension broke with Drift’s words and he happily slipped away from the crowd as peoples opinions went from dire to anticipation.

Ultra Magnus huffed and shook his helm with a firm ‘ _No_.’  
  
“ _Absolutely_ not, we don’t know what’s going on out there. What if it’s a virus? We should send out probes at the bare _minimum_ , we need to know what we’re dealing with.” Magnus turned to Megatron and nodded, then looked over at Rodimus and awaited his command.

“Right, good point there Mags. Perceptor, Brainstorm, where are you two?” Rodimus turned to the crowd and nodded at his friends as they each raised an arm. “Right, there you are, I want you both to get readings off the surrounding area. Figure out what’s going on, and make sure this place is _safe_ before we move on, or in, either or.” He turned and saw Drift moving back to his side with a neutral expression.

Megatron took over from there, pointing and delegating in that deep voice he used so _very_ well to control situations. Rodimus let him as he took a step back, waving for Ultra Magnus to step into his place as the crowd thinned and mecha began to move.

He leaned back but kept his optics forward, whispering to Drift as the other mecha settled in behind him. “As much as I appreciate the tension breaker, I feel that was more… I don’t know, Tailgate? I never had you pegged for an Amusement park sort of bot.” Behind him, Drift chuckled.

“Oh, I’m not, but it was rather obvious that none of you would have moved had something not snapped that tension. And what better way to do that than to tease you?” Drift let his engine rumble in a chuckle. He took his last step forward, hand resting on Rodimus’ lower back as he nodded toward the crowd. “Shall we join them, or do you want to opt out and let ‘the captain’ handle it.”

“Co-Captain.” Rodimus corrected automatically.

Drift just chuckled again and rubbed at Rodimus’ lower back, thumb digging into the top crease where his plating met armor and pressing against taut wires. Rodimus inhaled and curled one hand into a tight fist before relaxing it.

“ _Excuse_ you, we are in _public_.” Rodimus’ voice was tense, but he made no motion to move Drift’s hand away.

“No one is going to say something for a simple touch, sweet spark.” Drift whispered.

Rodimus pointedly looked over at Ultra Magnus as the mecha began berating a passerby.

“Alright, but we both agreed that Magnus doesn’t count. He’s sited me for sipping tea too loudly in the past.” Drift nodded at a mecha as they walked passed them and gave a customary yet half sparked salute. “Hello to you too, Coldwire.”

Rodimus snorted when the mecha was out of sight. “Can you honestly blame him, he was slagged off at me for making you leave. What better way to get payback at me than by punishing _you_.”

“You didn’t make me leave.” Drift whispered as he leaned over to press a gentle kiss to Rodimus’ cheek. “Speaking of tea though, I could go for a cup. What about you? Shall we invite Magnus? Or perhaps our new Co-Captain?” Drift moved his hand away from Rodimus’ hip and tried very hard to suppress his smirk.

He got a glare from Rodimus. “Megatron doesn’t even drink tea.” The Prime said petulantly, arms crossed.

“Oh, doesn’t he?” Drift took several steps away, easily sidestepping Rodimus as he reached out to him in an attempt to drag him back.

“You _slagger_ , come back here.” Rodimus hissed under his breath.

“Megatron, Sir,” Drift called to catch the other mecha’s attention, “may I have a moment of your time?”

Raising his hand to halt the other mecha he was talking to, Megatron turned and waved delegation over to Ultra Magnus. “Yes, Dead… I mean, Drift?” Megatron asked, voice low and genuinely interested. “How may I help you?” His expression was soft, that of someone addressing an old friend.

Drift smiled back, genuine and familiar. “Rodimus and I are going to have tea in a few moments after things calm down here, we were wondering if you would care to join us?” Drift tilted his head slightly, and from Rodimus’ vantage point it was unbelievably endearing. Across from him, Megatron crossed his arms, a hand coming up under his chin as he gave genuine consideration to the offer.

Rodimus couldn’t listen to the answer, he turned his head looking for anyone else he could occupy his attention with. Anyone at all.

Everyone was busy running about, so there was _no_ way he didn’t hear Megatron’s answer.

“I would be delighted to join you both, will you be making any of your old specialties? I have missed those.” Megatron’s voice held a hint of amusement that made Rodimus turn to gauge his face. The old ex-Warlord had a look of nostalgia on him, and from the lift of Drift’s shoulders Rodimus could tell that he was laughing silently.

“I’m sure I could cook something up.” Drift said, turning half toward Rodimus and half toward Megatron. “Would you like to walk back with us now, or stay here for a few more moments to make sure everything is under control?” Drift asked, hand turned toward the ceiling as he waved it upward.

Rodimus tried to let himself relax, taking in the new information. He’d never seen that look of affection on Megatron’s face. He honestly hadn’t known Megatron could _do_ affection. Even around Ravage, Megatron kept his face stoic.

“I’ll join you both momentarily, I might bring Ravage if that’s alright with the two of you? If he’s not off lurking about of course, he has missed your… particular brand of affections over the years, as I‘m sure many of us did when you left.” Megatron said with a snicker.

And didn’t that raise all sorts of questions.

“Alright, you can meet us in my habsuite whenever you are free, I’ll send you the number over comms.” Drift paused momentarily, obviously sending the information. “And I’ll make a bowl for Ravage just in case he decides to join us, but if not you can always take it back to him for later.” he nodded and gave a slow bow. Rodimus could see a slight smirk hidden by his down turned face. “My _lord_.”

Megatron let out a short bark of laughter that was throaty and echoing. Several mecha tripped over themselves in shock at the sound of the once Decepticon leader laughing in a manner that wasn’t maniacal. Rodimus just stared as Drift turned and headed back toward him.

The white speedster raised an eyebrow ridge and lifted both his shoulders in a shrug. “What?”

“You are a _giant_ conundrum.” Rodimus muttered as he crossed his arms. Frag looking respectable right now, his boyfriend was being a rusted tack.

“What a big word fir you.” Drift mused as he leaned over to kiss his Captain’s cheek. “Don’t look so down and out, you know Megatron and I have a history. By the Light, _everyone_ knows we have a history, are you honestly surprised it’s civil?” He took his spot behind Rodimus’ shoulder.

“Yes, actually. I _am_ surprised.” Rodimus muttered, trying not to let his kibble droop. “I always thought you’d hate him for the whole…” he waved a hand in the air, “Decepticony-Bonnie and Clyde thing.” Drift’s field rolled with confusion. “Bad analogy, you know what I meant. How do you forgive him being evil easier than I did?”

Drift snorted. “Well, you haven’t forgiven him, for one thing. You’ve… what were your words, ah, ‘accepted the darkness,’ yes that was it.” Rodimus didn’t turn around, but he knew Drift was smirking. “And you have to remember, I went to the Decepticon’s of my own volition, they took me in and gave me a purpose. They gave me a family when mine had been ripped from my arms. Megatron and I were close at one point in time.” Rodimus frowned and tried his best to cover it up.

“What’s going on now?” Ultra Magnus’ voice was tired and exasperated as he walked over. He had the air of someone under heavy distress but trying his dandiest to keep himself composed. Rodimus wanted to tell him he was doing a good job and give him a big hug, even if he really wasn’t the kind of mecha you hugged.

“Rodimus is just pouting because I had a life before he settled in.” Drift said cheerily.

“I am not pouting.” Rodimus quickly corrected. “I’m just… assessing things with a frown.”

Ultra Magnus’ optics cycled once.

“So he’s pouting.” He nodded and turned to Drift. “Are you free right now?”

Rodimus threw his hands into the air. “I am standing _right_ here! People can ask me for advice too.” Drift covered a chuckle and turned a sweet smile toward him. He reached out, hand resting on Rodimus’ hip as he rubbed a circle into the joint and then turned his attention back to Magnus.

“Actually, I was about to go to my habsuite and make a pot of tea, I had figured Rodimus and I could slip away since you seemed to have everything under control.” He removed his hand from Rodimus’ hip and straightened up. “But if you really need my assistance, what can I do for you? How may I help?”

Magnus nodded, as if adding something in his head before he waved a hand dismissingly at the two in front of him.

“No, no it’s completely alright. You’re both busy and it’s something rather trivial, I can get any mech to run this errand. I was simply going to grab you because you’re a speed frame and could race to the docking bay and back in about… two point seven kliks, wasn’t it?” There was a challenge in his voice, but Drift wisely didn’t take the bait.

Rodimus opened his mouth to correct him, but then stopped and narrowed his eyes at Magnus.

“Hey, wait a tick, I’m a speed frame too. I’m not saying I’m anywhere near as fast as Drift-”

“Shocking, an admittance of your imperfection.” Magnus muttered.

“-But I can still run hot. And _watch_ the teasing, I’m feeling less than stellar today.” Rodimus straightened up and tucked both his hands behind his lower back, taking up his most Captain-y pose. “Drift, you go to the habsuite and start making lunch, _I’ll_ drive down to the docking bay and drop off whatever it is Magnus wants dropped off. Or picked up, whatever.” He waited and watched Magnus smile softly under all that Rule Abiding Sternness.

“Thank you, Rodimus. I just need this data pad delivered to… who was it, Wench? Whoever is on shift watching the Gravity Net.” Magnus paused and fumbled about his subspace for a moment, utterly distracted as he tried to remember who was on shift tonight. “It’s nothing untoward, just instructions,” he pulled out the pad, “to grab any mid-sized floating debris and keep it held in the outside containment field for analysis.”

Rodimus took the pad and narrowed his optics at it. “You could have just comm’d them and told them that.” He muttered.

“Comms are still acting funny in the docking bay.” Drift reminded him.

Ah yes, the High Pitched and Squeaky Relay issue.

“Oh, right, of _course_.” Rodimus smirked and nodded as he put the pad in his subspace. Primus forbid his second embarrass himself with the fiasco. “I’ll get this down there to-”

“Is it Wind-Star?” Magnus mumbled as he unintentionally cut off his Captain. “Why can’t I remember who is on duty?”

Rodimus turned and looked at Drift for help, but this partner merely shrugged.

“I’ll get this down there and be back in a flash. I won’t even use my hazard lights.” Rodimus muttered.

“Hazard! Hazard is down there!” Ultra Magnus straightened up and beamed, possibly at himself, and then nodded. “Thank you Rodimus, I’ll wait right here for you.” And then the fragger pulled out a timer.

Rodimus narrowed his optics and transformed, giving a few warning revs of his engine before he peeled out of Command Central. “All of you are out to get me.”

\--

Hazard was a pretty cool mech, tragic name aside, and he took the data pad and thanked Rodimus for passing the information onto his team. The mech’s muttered ‘Why didn’t he just comm me?’ didn’t go unnoticed, but Rodimus drove back to command before he’d have to answer. When he got there, Ultra Magnus was rubbing his temples and explaining in very low tones why flying out in their alamode to survey the planets was a _terrible_ idea.

Waiting, he caught his Second’s attention with a wave. Magnus stopped the timer and put it away, possibly to berate him with a speeding ticket later, but Rodimus didn’t care. He bid his friend a farewell when he was free and left him to organize the impossible.

The stroll back to Drift’s habsuite was quiet and comfortable, and as he stood outside the door and readied to type in the command key code he heard Drift’s delighted laughter from inside. As cheerful as always, Rodimus smiled and tapped at the holopad until the door lifted. He took a step inside and basked in the loft lilac entrance lights overhead the entrance, then leaned over to peer into the preparation block from the entrance way.

He saw Drift in his normal cooking apron standing next to Megatron as the older mech leaned against the counter with his chest facing the living room. Megatron looked utterly relaxed with a cube in hand, talking low and waving his free hand for emphasis. They were lit by soft blue lights, an obsession of Drift’s to color coordinate the lighting in every room, and it made them seem far less threatening than he knew they both were.

Beside Megatron, Drift was beaming. His optics rolled as he countered whatever Megatron had just said by pointing a spoon at him, the yellow batter nearly dripping to the counter.

“You have to remember that you started that.” Drift said before dipping the spoon back into the bowl. “So the only one at fault was you.”

“I did no such thing,” Megatron countered with a chuckle, “that was entirely Soundwave’s idea.”

“I believe that about as much as I believe you were ever happy about being hugged by strangers.” Drift began stirring again and Megatron laughed, head throw back momentarily.

Rodimus shifted and took another step into the room, letting out a long ex-vent that caught Megatron’s attention. He looked up and his smile relaxed into a somber yet neutral expression, one Rodimus was far more familiar with.

“Ah, seems the Captain has arrived.” It sounded far too business like compared to the jovial tone he’d held only seconds before.

Drift turned and remained bright, but his optics dimmed and his smile did soften to something full of love. Something Rodimus woke up to happily.

“There you are,” Drift set the bowl on the counter and nudged it toward Megatron’s elbow before stepping out of the kitchen and right into Rodimus’ space, “Did you want a drink? I didn’t have time to set the table yet, we got caught up talking.” Rodimus smiled at the embarrassment on Drift’s face.

“I’m fine with eating on the floor, you’ve got enough cushions for it.” He said as he reached out and brushed the back of his knuckles against Drift’s cheek. “We could always set up your floor table and have lunch around that.”

Drift shook his head with a knowing smile before leaning over to kiss Rodimus’ cheek. “Have Megatron help you set up the kotatsu.” Drift whispered, lips lingering near Rodimus’ cheek. “And play nice, Magnus might be coming over later.”

Rodimus slumped.

“Is everyone joining us for lunch?” He asked. Drift just shot him a warning look before heading back into the kitchen. “Ugh, _fine_. Megatron, help me get out the kotatsu before my boyfriend throws a spoon at me, or something _worse_.” He could hear Drift laughing from the kitchen as he settled back in to continue making lunch. Megatron gave Rodimus a confused look before he set his cube down on the counter and stepped into the living room.

“Right, what am I helping you set up?” He asked as Rodimus walked to the closet and keyed open the door. He waved at the table and blankets stuffed in beside it, and Megatron just nodded in obvious confusion.

“It’s an Earth Japanese thing, Drift picked up the idea and fell in love with it. He does that with a lot of stuff.” Rodimus said as he started tugging at the welded together table pieces. Megatron took a few steps forward and reached out with both hands, tugging the table the rest of the way out.

“From what Drift tells me, this wasn’t the only thing he fell in love with and kept close.” Megatron smirked coyly and turned the table so he could set it on the floor in the middle of the living quarters. Rodimus felt his systems heat, his optics narrowing as he turned toward the kitchen and tried not to glare.

Filthy gossip monger.

“I heard plenty of the culture rubbed off on him, and that it mellowed him quite a bit since his time in my… company.” Megatron said as Rodimus tugged out the blankets.

He couldn’t help but shrug. “I wouldn’t know, I only knew him from rumor as a Decepticon, and then… well, I know him now as himself.” Rodimus tossed one end of the blankets over the table and frowned when they lumped together.

Holding back a chuckle, Megatron knelt down and began pulling the corners of the blanket that had folded over. His fingers worked gently on the fabric and were meticulous with each fold, Rodimus was surprised he was paying so much attention to such a fine detail. Maybe he just wanted to impress Drift? Rodimus wanted to impress Drift often enough, so why not the Warlord Almighty?

Rodimus turned away from the thought and went to gather the pillows from the berth room, he didn’t need this right now. He didn’t want to paint a picture of a kind and caring Megatron when he had honest memories of him being anything but. As he walked through the hallway and to the berth room he thought about Drift instead, how wonderful and sweet he was. Rodimus thought about the way he was now… and then he thought about the rumor of _Deadlock_.

With each pillow he picked up, his thoughts got heavier and heavier. From what he could remember, or the files he could pick through in his processor, Deadlock was… _nothing_ like Drift. Where his lover was calm and thoughtful, Deadlock was known for being furious and loud. His memories of Drift were all kind smiles, patient understanding and brilliant theories. The thought of the monster they spoke of being the same Drift he slept next to every night and woke up curled beneath his arms… it didn’t click into place.

Rodimus dumped the pillows on the floor in the living space and sat on the nearest to him. Megatron huffed and pulled a few over to his side of the table, rearranging them as they both listened to Drift’s soft humming from the preparation block. There was the sound of a food possessor blending something together, a spoon hitting the side of the bowl as Drift stirred, all sounds Rodimus was used to and heard almost every other day.

They came with an odd weight today.

Sighing, Rodimus leaned back and let his elbow thunk onto the corner of the table as he stared at Drift’s back while he worked. He ignored Megatron telling him just how rude putting your elbow on a table was and followed the turn of Drift’s wrist as he stirred the spoon and then lifted it to do a taste test. A finger dragged across the mixture on the spoon and Drift held it in his mouth for a few seconds to contemplate it.

Rodimus smiled at Drift’s nonchalant shrug before he set the spoon aside.

“Alright, food’s ready, just need to put in on plates.” Drift called before pulling off his apron. “Let me grab the tea, you’re both still alive in there right?” He turned and smiled when he saw them both sitting there, each giving him their own version of incredulity. “Oh good.”

Rodimus chuckled and turned his head to look at Megatron, offering a smile as he sat up and got comfortable. “This isn’t awkward at all, is it?” He asked, hoping he got the thick coat of sarcasm across.

“Oh no, I find it rather pleasant.” Megatron could have drowned someone with his answering sarcasm, and that delighted Rodimus. “Then again, being around someone you saw as one of your offspring and his new lover is always going to be awkward.” Megatron said as he crossed his arms. In the beginning of his stay, Rodimus thought every time the ex-Warlord had done that it had been defiance. Time taught him that it was actually just Megatron being comfortable, heavy frame types did that a lot apparently.

“We aren’t that new to being lovers.” Rodimus countered, feeling the smirk widen into a smile, “but if you’re like his Sire, does that mean if we become Conjux that I have to call you Sire as well?”

Megatron’s optics narrowed and he opened his mouth to respond, but Drift cut him off by gently placing cups and a pot on the table, settling his legs beneath him as he sat next to Rodimus.

“Drink your tea,” Drift ordered, so Rodimus did, “and I’d rather you not call someone I’ve interfaced with ‘Sire,’” Rodimus spit his tea out as Megatron barked out a laugh that reverberated in his chassi. Drift smirked and patted Rodimus’ back. “Oh love, I was teasing, we’ve never interfaced. Never had the time.”

“Nor the need, although I do believe if we had attempted to pursue something then we might have.” Megatron said as Rodimus heaved in a breath into his chassi and glared. “But that’s not how things worked out, I needed a warrior and our friendship was put on hold when I sent you off with that fool Turmoil. I can’t apologize enough for that.” Megatron said as he picked up his cup and held it near his mouth. He breathed in, optics closing as he took in the scent.

“There, see, no need to be jealous.” Drift said sweetly as he pulled out a rag and handed it to Rodimus to wipe up his chin.

“I’m not jealous,” Rodimus muttered, “I wasted tea though, apparently.” He kept his eyes to the table, then felt Drift’s hand rest on the top of his thigh. He looked up to see concern on Drift’s optics and leaned over, hand against his cheek to kiss him. When he pulled back Drift looked easier. “I love you.” He made sure to whisper it, helm tilted forward to rest against Drift’s for just a few seconds.

Just long enough to feel Drift’s relaxed venting and the soft fluttering brush of his EM field.

Megatron coughed and drew Rodimus’ attention back to him. He was sitting with his legs to the side, cube held in his palm, other hand wrapped around the middle with a sly smirk on his face.

“Sorry.” Drift was grinning, looking away as he pushed himself to his feet. “Let me go get the food, is the tea good? It’s a rustic blend with bits of gunpowder, a throwback if you will.”

“Perfect as always.” Rodimus said as Drift rolled his optics. Megatron gave a simple nod and sipped at his cube again.

“I appreciate that you left it sugarless.” Megatron said, seeming to cradle the cube closer.

“I remembered you aren’t a fan of sugar in your tea, and Rodimus just doesn’t _need_ it.” Drift patted his lovers pauldron and went back into the kitchen. “So, what do you two think is causing the disturbance outside the ship?”

Rodimus smirked and picked his cube back up, elbows back on the table. “Oh, I love this game. Crazier and most plausible theory wins. Drift normally always wins, but Perceptor has a hall of fame response, so if you beat him I totally want to be the one who rubs it in his face and takes away his award.” From the preparation block, Drift scoffed.

“I feel like this is going to be a very eventful lunch.” Megatron muttered, shoulders drooping. Rodimus felt a wave of uncomfortable tension roll off the flutter of Megatron’s EM field, and he sat up straighter.

“I think it’s off season and they’ve got the park closed,” he started, “but the gates are old right, so sometimes they just open since off seasons need maintenance but the caretakers are too lazy to fix it.” Rodimus nodded as Drift walked back in and made a face.

“That’s _sensible_ , you’re hardly ever sensible.” Drift set the tray down and plopped next to him. “I think it’s space cows.” Megatron paused in bringing his cube to his lips.

“… what?” He asked, blinking.

Rodimus smirked. “What is it with you and using space cows?” He muttered as he reached across the table for a tart.

“Look, Space Cows can and will float through the vacuum of space _and_ roam on the surface of a planet. They travel in enormous packs for safety and… well they’re bovine. Who knows, but they are _known_ for tromping through places and leaving a particular… smell. Most of the people who visit this place actually have a sense of smell, so maybe they are letting it air out.” Drift said with several gestures before he picked up his cube.

“That’s so dumb.” Rodimus stage whispered, but oh was he smiling.

“And yet you’re starting to believe it, I can see it in the corner of your optics.” Drift teased.

Across the table, Rodimus could see Megatron smiling and shaking his head. He’d even rolled his optics, and that made Rodimus smile wider.

“I admit to nothing.” Rodimus teased.

“Uh huh, what about you, my Lord?” Drift caught himself too late and elbowed Rodimus hard in the side when he started laughing. “Shut up, millennia of calling him that still sticks.”

Megatron chuckled as he reached for one of the pastries and took a small bite. He seemed to mull his thoughts over before he took another bite and finished the snack, then swallowed and stood up straighter.

“What was that thing that human sparklings got that left them white those white scars that itched? Something they named after some type of poultry for some unknown reason?” He asked.

Rodimus blinked. “… Chicken… Pox?” he asked, full of confusion.

Megatron snapped and pointed at Rodimus. “That’s it, there we are. I am going with that, I don’t know how it works but from what I remember it made several human sparklings miss schooling for at least a week at a time.” He punctuated his theory by taking a sip of his cube.

After a small pause, Drift cackled. His face scrunched up, his fangs glinting off the light and his shoulders raising as his optics brightened with mirth. One of his arms went around his side and clutched at it, his body leaning to the right to rest against Rodimus.

“Chicken pox, from _you_. I am just… I’m wowed.” Rodimus admitted before he shoved the rest of his tart into his mouth.

“Well that’s not very hard to do.” Megatron said with a steady smile. Rodimus just shook his head and chewed his food, smiling his own contented smile. Against him, Drift has settled, but he would occasionally chuckle and shake his helm.

He felt so perfect against Rodimus’ side.

“Great answer.” Drift finally said as he reached for Rodimus’ hand under the cover of the table. Rodimus didn’t even think about it before he looped their fingers together and turned to pick up where he left off.

\--

Ultra Magnus swung by in a hurry to gather up Megatron for ‘official duties‘, and Drift happily made them bento boxes to go. While Rodimus was glad to have Drift all to himself finally, it was weird to see that sort of frown on Drift’s face when Megatron gave a short bow and left with his excessive armful of goodies. That was just another reminder that Rodimus didn’t know Drift as much as he thought he had. He’d honestly thought the two of them were in each others subspace, but now he realized there was just a huge gap of Drift’s life that Rodimus had never asked about.

He didn’t even know if asking about it would be _appropriate_. Before today, Rodimus had only looked at Drift as he was now, not Drift as he was then. And yes, it was hypocritical of him to do that for Drift and not Megatron, but he _knew_ Megatron’s past _personally_.

Deadlock’s past though…

He turned and flopped onto the pillows on the floor, humming happily when Drift joined him and curled up against his side.

“That was fun, I sort of missed entertaining company.” Drift mumbled and he draped an arm across Rodimus’ chest.

“You invite me over all the time.” Rodimus muttered. Drift chuckled and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

“There’s a difference between company and the mecha I interface with.” Drift muttered before he let out a deep sigh. “Thank you for being nice with Megatron, it really meant a lot to me to have him close by again.” The warmth from his vents on Rodimus’ body made him hum and close his optics.

“It was nice to see you _smile_ like that,” Rodimus whispered, “even if it _was_ because of Megatron.” He waited, letting himself mull over the words. “You know… I honestly thought you’d go for his throat the first time you saw him on the ship. I think a lot of us thought that actually, we all just assumed that you hated him by now.”

Drift chuckled and shifted closer, one hand resting over Rodimus’ spark beat. “I guess I can see why, but I don’t think I was _ever_ angry at him. I know I feared him in a part of my spark, feared retribution from someone I had come to know so well, but I couldn’t bring myself to be _angry_ at him. I couldn’t bring myself to be angry at a lot of people for quite a while there… and yet I was angry at so many all at once for so long.”

Rodimus remained quiet for a while, one of his hands resting atop Drift’s as he stared at the ceiling of the habsuite. He honestly hadn’t expected a response like that, but now that he’d been given it, it made perfect sense. Drift was all _about_ forgiveness, of course he couldn’t be angry at Megatron for his past.

“I’m still angry at Turmoil though,” Drift’s admittance cut through Rodimus’ thoughts like cold ice, “he’s long gone and far away from me, and yet the thought of him stirs something in me that I had thought I’d let go of eons ago.” There was a soft tremble in the way he said it, an utterance of shame. Rodimus squeezed Drift’s hip as he pulled him closer, kissing his forehelm as he bent down.

“It’s okay to be angry at people who have fragged you over, you know that right?”

“Well, that would imply that I wasn’t the one in the wrong.” Drift countered with an awkward shrug. “I was hot headed, I disobeyed out of a sense of selfishness, and while he was foul to begin with, I wasn’t clear of guilt. I was wrong just as much as he was.”

The silence enveloped over them once again and Rodimus felt the soft hum stir in Drift’s chest. He waited, feeling the rumble of Drift’s engine sooth him, and then he asked what he’d really wanted to.

“Drift… What were you like as Deadlock?”

Drift stiffened for a klik, then relaxed as he found his answer. “The same as I am now, only I wasn’t centered then and I was a lot angrier.” He admitted. “Then again, I let my anger be my energon, it was the only thing driving me for such a long time. I rarely relaxed enough to feel anything other than rage, but when I did it was mostly around Megatron or Soundwave and his cassettes. During the officer meetings we would… we would have a moment before everything began and we would pretend we weren’t fighting a war.

“It wasn’t much, mind you, but contrary to popular belief, Megatron wasn’t always… crazy, I guess you could say. Sometimes he’d get into this headspace that we couldn’t talk him out of, other times he’d come down from it and need us there to steady him and build him back up. Something got into his soul and tormented it sometimes, as if a switch had been flipped.” Drift sighed and sat up, knees drawn to his chest. “Megatron was there for me when my family was murdered, he sought justice and revenge, he sought to right the things that had been done wrong not just to me, but to every bot out there.” The conviction in his voice made Rodimus hum as he rolled to his side, propped up on his elbow to listen.

“Megatron’s speeches weren’t about war, they were about doing what was _right_. I don’t know what it was that led him so far astray, but I do know he’s still the same mecha that helped me to my feet when the world had knocked me to the dirt.” Drift shrugged, his face nearly hidden by his knees. “I can’t hate him for saving my life.”

Those words were said with such conviction that Rodimus felt a shiver go down his spine. Contrary to popular belief, Rodimus didn’t listen to Drift because he said everything he wanted to hear, Rodimus listened to Drift because he was honest about how he felt. Drift was genuine and lovely and he meant everything he said, which almost _always_ took Rodimus off guard, but also always filled him with joy. He reached out and took one of Drift’s hands, holding it close as he smiled at him.

“Thank you.” He didn’t know what else to say, if he could even say anything to being with. He did know that he meant it though, and that he knew more than he had before about his lover. “I love you, all the befores and all the afters of you. I love you, Drift.” He could feel Drift’s frame heating under his touch.

“I love you too.” Drift whispered, lowering his legs to crawl toward Rodimus and kiss him.

\--

Drift sat next to Perceptor and tried his hardest to ignore the bored venting against his side. This meeting was going to drag on forever and ever, and as much as he enjoyed being a stickler for rules and regulations…

“Ultra Magnus _please_ , we get it.” Rodimus beat him to it. “We’re all dumb and hopeless without you, can we please move on to talking about the readouts?” Rodimus groaned the words and dropped his face into his hands. “I’m pretty sure we all understand regulations by now.”

Across from him, Ultra Magnus frowned. “I wasn’t implying any of that,” he said as he sat up straighter, “I was simply pointing out our past record for being reckless. I just want us to be safe, we’ve… we’ve lost enough.” His shoulders drooped slightly and Rodimus sat up, reaching out to put a hand on Magnus’ arm.

“I know, I’m sorry for getting testy with you.” He offered his second a warm smile and then turned to the rest of the table. “Alright, who wants to go first?”

Several hands shot into the air. Rodimus sighed as Megatron chuckled.

“Perceptor, what were your readouts for the surrounding atmospheres and such?” Megatron asked, happily taking over as Rodimus took a moment to compose himself.

Beneath the table, Drift had reached out and taken Rodimus’ hand.

“Thank you, Megatron. From what I’ve gathered, the atmospheres’ have not been poisoned, polluted, nor tampered with in any such way on any of the planets. Their orbits are held still, possibly by the fact they are all so close to one another, but there is nothing to suggest foul play on organic intakes.” He stood, walking over to the communal white board. He began erasing a few of the drawings on the margins and Rodimus pouted.

“Aww, not Captain Enamored.” Brainstorm whined. “Who drew him,? We’ll have to make them redraw him, he’s our mascot.”

“We don’t have a mascot.” Megatron stated.

“It was Tailgate.” Drift stage whispered as he leaned across the table.

“Oh good.” Brainstorm said happily. “Tailgate is nice about redrawing things.”

“Ahem,” Perceptor finished writing on the board and pointed at it, “the only thing I’ve been able to uncover is a slight rise in the carbon monoxide levels, but that’s not enough to harm any organic. The amount of foliage they grow more than makes up for it. This doesn’t make any sense though. There’s nothing toxic out there that I can find.” He turned back to his writing and hummed.

“Yeah, Percy-”

“Perceptor.”

“Has a point,” Brainstorm continued as if he hadn’t been cut off, “space debris is fine, no levels of radiation, no sign of space honey, no sign of space cows or their fumes! All life signs are just… gone.” He frowned at the table.

Rodimus sighed and crossed his arms. This definitely wasn’t adding up. How could all signs point to a safe atmosphere while the rest of the signs pointed to massive destruction.

“Now I know you’re going to say no,” Brainstorm began, “but I’m going to ask permission to take a small team and fly onto one of the planets and take samples of the soil and oxygen planet side, there might be a huge difference that we are missing.”

“Absolutely not!” Ultra Magnus’ fist rattled a few data pads as it slammed onto the table. Rodimus saw Megatron’s hand resting on his Second’s elbow beneath the table out of the corner of his optic. He smirked to himself, then slipped his hand out of Drift’s to thread his fingers together. With a hum of contemplation, he let his chin rest on his hands.

“Actually,” he paused and let Megatron hush Magnus’ outburst before it even had a chance to start, “if we can get a contamination suit for you and this small team, then it might not be a bad idea. Getting samples from the atmosphere isn’t going to help us, we need someone planet side.”

Beside him, Drift made an uncomfortable sound.

“I will not let anyone off this ship.” Magnus was using his ‘I’ll call Optimus and tell him you’re being dumb’ voice. Rodimus was delighted that something so simple was getting such a rise out of him. Apparently, Brainstorm was as well.

“What if we sent a survey drone out with a camera? Or a medical drone?” Drift suggested in a hurry, obviously trying to ease the tension. “It will give us access to samples should we wish to collect them, and a live video feed so we can see what’s going on planet side. Maybe the surface will give us some real information.” He held himself still, EM field wobbling with worry.

Rodimus reached out when Magnus sighed in resignation, a hand resting comfortably on Drift’s arm as he relaxed in his seat.

“That’s an amazing idea, someone page medical or storage and get a spare drone ready.” Rodimus looked up in time to see Brainstorm cross his arms in an obvious pout. “Oh boo hoo Brainstorm.” He teased.

“You never let me have any fun.” Brainstorm muttered, but he was smiling. Rodimus could see it out of the corner of his optics.

Perceptor elbowed him off his chair.

\--

Three groons later and the main laboratory had been turned into a viewing central, the main doors pried open and locked in place by what looked like a bar wedged at the top. Several bots were having to duck under it, glaring at the offending piece of metal. Rodimus sat close to the front of the screen, feet propped up on a desk that was pumping out print outs.

Behind him, Drift was sipping from a cup of tea he’d made, the pot on the table in the center of the room for anyone to use. Occasionally he would hand the cup to Rodimus for a few sips, then take it back and nurse it near his chassi.

There were tons of bots in the room, most standing behind Brainstorm’s ‘blast rope.’ The same one that was just ordinary rope he’d renamed for the purpose of making people think it was dangerous. Brainstorm himself was standing near it with delight in his optics, talking in hushed tons with Highbrow as they occasionally glanced at the screen that was filling the back wall.

Perceptor was manning the small drone by giving it input commands every few minutes as it wobbled and landed shakily on the planets surface just outside one of the parks. To his left, Megatron was staring at the screen, Ultra Magnus behind him and muttering worriedly.

Rodimus sat up finally, looking at the screen and planting his feet back on the floor as he watched the drone enter the park.

“Hey, Percy, why is the drone wobbling like that?” he asked as the little thing seemed to tremble its camera.

“I’m not sure, let me…” Perceptor hushed and started typing at the screen.

“How come he gets to call you Percy but I can’t?” Brainstorm asked in the silence.

“Oh, don’t feel bad, I hardly get to call him that either.” Drift said placating as he turned toward him. “Do you want a cup of tea?” Drift looked at Brainstorm’s stunned face, watching both his hands drop. Behind him, the room hushed in silence and started, some open mouthed, at the screen.

Drift turned and nearly dropped his cup.

The rollercoaster was still running, though it was much slower than normal. As the cars did a slow rotation they sent out a gust of air that made the small drone wobble, and Perceptor grumbled as he turned it once again.

There was a line for the rollercoaster stretching off camera.

“Hey, I thought you said there were no life signs.” Rodimus interjected.

“That’s because there aren’t.” Perceptor said as he zoomed in on a few of the people in the line. They were beginning to crystallize at their feet, hands, and around their eyes, and each of them was clutching a ticket tightly in their fists. “These people are all dead.”

The room got quieter, if at all possible.

“… what?” Megatron was the one to ask, taking a step closer to the screen.

“They’re dead.” Perceptor repeated with that same cold indifference he held so perfectly, “this species doesn’t decay when they expire. Instead, they crystallize upon death and over time crumble and turn to dust or to ash. It’s a very fascinating decomposition of sorts, their bodies excrete this-”

“Another time, Percy,” Drift nearly whispered, “those are still bodies beneath the science.”

Perceptor looked up at the screen, then back at the rest of the room. He seemed to sober up and turned to move the drone closer.

“Primus, how long does that line go?” Rodimus muttered as Perceptor pulled the zoom back and began traveling down the line.

Drift set his cup down as the camera wobbled again when the coaster zipped past. “Stop the drone, turn it toward the coaster and get a higher angle.” Perceptor didn’t hesitate.

As the carts coasted by, the camera could now see into each seat. There were figures that had slumped over, still gripping the hand rail, others had chunks of their crystallized body missing from prolonged exposure to the wind on the ride.

“By the Light.” Drift took a hesitant step back, then stopped when Rodimus reached for him. “What… what _did_ this? Can you find out?”

“I can try,” Perceptor mumbled, “I’ll have to get a sample of one of the bodies… unless I’m permitted to bring an entire corpse onto the outer atmosphere lab?” He turned back to Megatron, who glanced at Ultra Magnus. They held a silent conversation, then Megatron turned back to Perceptor.

“Only take a piece, we don’t know what this is. Keep it in containment at all times. Can we send other drones out to the other planets and see if this is the same with every one of them?” He asked as he turned to Brainstorm.

“On it.” Brainstorm didn’t stick around, just ducked beneath the rope and hurried out of the lab.

“Is it alright if I look around more before bringing the samples back?” Perceptor asked.

“Huh?” Rodimus blinked away his shock. “Yeah… yeah science until your spark is content. I think… I think I need to go lay down.” He nodded and looked over at Megatron, who waved him off. Drift was clutching his arm a second later, pulling him close as he led him out of the room.

Rodimus had been expecting a lot of things, but not fucking _that_. Drift hurried them through the hall in a blur and set Rodimus down on his couch, curling up next to him as they cuddled close in silence. Someone would comm them if they were needed. For right now, he just wanted to wait this horror show out.

\--

Ultra Magnus was the one that eventually commed them to Command, and they both took their sweet time getting there. They walked in holding hands, and as unprofessional as that was, Rodimus didn’t think he could let go of Drift even if he wanted to.

“Ah, there you two are.” Ultra Magnus was standing at attention, in front of him was Velocity, Perceptor, and a very put upon Brainstorm. Megatron was sitting in his assigned Captain’s chair rubbing his temples, obviously having heard the news already. “Please, take your seats, you might want to be sitting down when you hear the news.”

Drift’s grip tightened in Rodimus’.  
  
“Are we in danger?” Rodimus asked, standing straighter.

“No!” Brainstorm said quickly. “No oh man, we’re totally fine. We’re more than fine in fact. Unlike dead, deader, and deadest down there.” He jerked his thumb at one of the planets out of the main window.

“Brainstorm!” Velocity glared at him, optics narrowing.

“Well they aren’t getting any more alive.” He muttered. Beside him Perceptor groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

At least Rodimus knew why Megatron looked so put out now.

“Anyway, look, this is the culprit. Well, it’s dead and you can’t really see it, but hey, we figured it out.” He pulled a small Petri dish out of his subspace and waved it about.

Rodimus just eyed it in worry and Drift made a noise of discomfort.

“It’s a purely organic organism that seems to have mixed with what we are assuming is a group of scraplets. Anyway, they’re called Cordyceps, a type of fungi, and they’ve been mutated to harm larger organics rather than just insects.” Perceptor took the Petri dish away from Brainstorm gingerly and set it on an attachment in his arm. A holographic projection shot onto the wall of the dead organism. “We can see here where the strand has been mutated by something, as we have assumed scraplet because it’s the closest matching gene code.”

Rodimus watched at Perceptor pointed out the codes and sequences, but all he saw were lines and numbers.

“We checked several of the samples,” Velocity chimed in, “and eventually convinced Megatron to let me look at a full body sample. From there I did a proper autopsy and determined the cause of death was dehydration and starvation.” She crossed her arms and rubbed them uncomfortably. “The Cordyceps were heaviest in the adrenaline sectors of the brain, meaning they were driving these organics to do nothing but seek thrills.” She turned toward Brainstorm, and he nodded.

“I think the reason the line for the rollercoaster was so long because the Cordyceps were using that as a way to spread an airborne version of their spores, and at such fast distances it could easily have been slingshot across world.” Brainstorm let out a vent. “But once everyone on world was dead, the virus couldn’t spread. People were too busy trying to get their thrill to invite more people there. Without organic hosts, the virus just… died.” He shrugged.

“They died in line, standing their waiting their turn to unknowingly spread a mutated virus.” Velocity muttered, looking at her feet. “Those poor people.”

Rodimus looked between the three, then looked back at Drift. He kept his voice low as he took a step closer to his shocked and obviously uncomfortable lover.

“Hey,” he reached up and set a hand on Drift’s cheek, “talk to me. There’s something heavy on your processor, I can tell.” He whispered as he leaned forward and let their fore helms touch. Drift trembled, then swallowed as his optics closed.

“So many souls were lost because of this.” He whispered. “I… I don’t know how to feel about leaving them there, standing in that line. I don’t know their offlining customs, or if they even have any, but I don’t feel right leaving them in that line.” His fingers came up to loop with Rodimus’ and he trembled. Rodimus just hummed, optics closed as he tried to work out a solution.

“Percy, can you come over here when you’re done?” He asked after a few kliks, still not opening his optics.

“Yes, Rodimus?” There was a soft shuffle and Rodimus finally looked up, turning to Drift.

“Hey, can you go talk to Megatron for a few kliks? Just make sure he’s calm while I handle something?” Rodimus asked in a whisper. Drift nodded slowly and they parted going in opposite directions. Rodimus walked up to Perceptor and let out a vent, rubbing his arm as Brainstorm crowded in next to them. “You seemed to know a lot about these organics, do you know about their burial habits?”

Perceptor blinked in shock. “Umm… no, actually. I only really know about their decomposition, I found it extremely fascinating so I studied it for a while at the academy, but that was…” Before the war was left unsaid.

“We need to figure out how they lay their dead to rest. I just… I don’t feel comfortable leaving this place knowing there’s a line of dead bodies just standing there. Is it on every planet or just that one?” He looked between the two and Perceptor looked away.

“Only the planets with attractions that raise the adrenaline. The others are empty, many of the shuttles gone, I assume they were used to get to the main planets.” Perceptor muttered.

“I think I know who I can ask about finding more information on these guys.” Brainstorm chimed in. He looked delighted to be helping, and that would have been unnerving were it not so very… _Brainstorm_.

“Then I expect a detailed report… uh, that sounded so formal.” Rodimus scrunched his face, not caring about pretense in front of these two. “Just get me the info, and you, put that body back.” He pointed at Perceptor and narrowed his optics. “Also, Velocity.”

“Uh, yeah?” The medic asked in surprise as she turned and headed over to the little gathering.

“Hey, I know you’re a medic, but how are you at chemistry?” Rodimus asked with a smirk. Velocity looked confused.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?” She muttered.

“You and Brainstorm are going to work on a little project for me. He’s the science, you’re the sanity.” Rodimus patted her shoulder and smiled. “Don’t worry, he’ll behave.”

“I’m not Wheeljack, I won’t blow her up.” Brainstorm said defensively.

“No, but you will blow _yourself_ up, and why not have a medic on hand for when that inevitably happens.” Rodimus smirked and stood up straighter. “Okay, get moving Perceptor, you’ve got work to do.” He smiled and turned toward the Captain’s chair as Perceptor hurried off.

Megatron had a hand on Drift’s shoulder and was leaning in close, talking in whispers. Drift was looking at him with conviction, hands held close to his chest as he nodded and soaked up every word.

Rodimus tamped down the small surge of jealousy and reminded himself that Drift loved him, but he also still cared about Megatron. There was a huge difference between the two, and there wasn’t any kind of threat to worry over. He turned back to the two bots standing behind him, waiting expectantly.

“Alright you two, after Brainstorm gets me the info I need, here’s what I want you two to work on.”

\--

As it turned out Tailgate and Cyclonus knew about the species, which surprised everyone and no one. Tailgate adamantly told them that this sort of thing happened all the time to this particular species.

Brainstorm dragged a chair up to the whiteboard in the meeting room for him to redraw Captain Enamored while he explained things.

“If this happens all the time, how do they keep surviving it? I’m pretty sure they’re all…” Rodimus waved a hand in the air, looking for appropriate words.

“Dead to the point of extinction?” Cyclonus asked as he loomed in the doorway.

“Nice one, really sympathetic.” Rodimus said with a glare.

“But he’s right,” Drift said from his seat, “however crude he put it, he’s got a valid point.”

“Yeah, but they aren’t extinct for long.” Tailgate explained as he happily took the marker from Brainstorm. “They’ll be up and about in what… twenty of their full rotations?” He turned to look at Cyclonus in question.

“Twenty-one.” The other mecha corrected.

“Right, twenty-one.” Tailgate uncapped the marker and set it on the board.

“Alright… but how?” Megatron asked from his seat in the corner. He had his arms crossed again, leaning back to survey the room.

“The crystal flowers.” Tailgate said before shrugging and focusing on each line. Rodimus slumped and turned toward Cyclonus, hoping for a proper answer.

“Flowers will bloom from the crystals their bodies form and spread a thick pollen into the mountains, the pollen will embed into the rock, the rock will form an egg. In a single rotation and entire population will sprout from the mountain, their dead will have turned to ash, and the mountain will focus on filling in the holes with the ash it soaks up from the dead.” Cyclonus said, bored and clearly only here because of Tailgate.

“What Cyclonus said, their species is really nature based. Very… what did the textbook say, cycle of life’y.” Tailgate swished the marker across the whiteboard and then capped it. “Okay, finished, was that all you guys wanted to know?” He turned toward the rest of the room and waited.

Megatron shrugged.

“What do they do with their dead?” Drift asked. “Do they leave them there, is there a special field they carry them to?” He watched as Tailgate climbed off the chair and brushed off his chassi, smiling up at his drawing as he walked toward the door.

“That I don’t know, but I don’t think they care? Or if they do they didn’t care enough to write it in the Travelers Guidebook I was given.” Tailgate said with a shrug before he held his hand out to Cyclonus. Without hesitation, Cyclonus straightened up and took the offered hand in his own. “We’re going to Swerve’s now, glad to put Captain Enamored back in his rightful place.” He turned and left, an easy finality on the subject.

Drift made an uncomfortable sound, face falling into his hands before he dragged them over his helm. “I don’t like the thought of leaving them there on the concrete.” He stated.

“Neither do I,” Megatron said as he eyed the way Brainstorm was twirling the marker in his fingers, “say we send a small team down to at least move as many as we can to any open grass or valley’s left on the planet. Or at least move their bodies closer to their mountains.” He turned to Rodimus and watched the other mecha nod.

“All in favor?” Rodimus asked with a smirk.

“Aye.” The room was full of the same voice for once. Even Ultra Magnus seemed on board with the idea, and wasn’t that a shock. Still, it fit in with his plans perfectly.

“Great, let’s start assigning teams.” He clapped his hands together and watched Drift’s smile get wider and wider.

\--

A day later and the teams picked to transport the dead to the grass areas of the planet had all returned and gone through two decontamination showers. Everyone was either milling about in Swerve’s or gathered in the Command room. They all stared at the fireworks going off in the skies of the planets around them, blanketing everything in a thin, quick dissolving layer of snow.

Drift sat beside Rodimus on the floor of the Command room, both leaning against his chair since they wouldn’t fit wedged together on t he cushion. All around them mecha were whispering about the planets, about their greatful farewell to this place. There was no hiding the unease that everyone felt at having lingered here as long as they had.

The fireworks had done more than give the planets a beautiful send off to mourn the loss of life though. They had punched a small hole in the gravitational pull that had caught the Lost Light and pushed it through fast enough before the hole had closed in on itself. Their send off was also their goodbye, and Rodimus couldn’t have planned it any better.

Beside him, Drift squeezed his hand and watched the twinkling lights flicker as the planets grew smaller and smaller. Soon they were out of sight, but people kept staring out the window as if in a daze. Rodimus knew how they felt, he and Drift hadn’t slept at all the night prior, but he had a feeling tonight would be different.

Rodimus figured tonight the two of them would sleep soundly, curled up together and ignoring all incoming comms that might be sent their way. They deserved that much, a full day tomorrow of just the two of them sleeping in. Megatron deserved it too, and Magnus as well, but Rodimus wasn’t sure if those two knew how to put work down and rest for a little while.

Still, tonight he would spend in Drift’s arms, or maybe vice versa. Either way he would be curled up close to the mecha he loved.

And that honestly sounded perfect.


End file.
